Compression-coupling.



C. H. DUFFY. COMPRESSION COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I4, I911. LL%3 @L5W Patented June 22, 1915.

onnrbn CHARLES HUGH DUFFY, OF NORTH LAUREL, MARYLAND, ASSIGNQB T FREDERICK H.

' TVTEED, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COMPRESSION GOUJPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, t9l5.

Application filed. June M, 1911. Serial No. 633,17t.

To all whom it may concern v Be it known that l, QHARLns HUGH DUFFY, a citizen ofthe United States, re-

siding at North Laurel, in the county of Howard and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compression-Couplings; and it do declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such to as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters-and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to the class of pipe couplings, but more particularly to a compression coupling to be primarily used in connection with brass and copper tubing and the like to coupletwo tube sections together or to couplea tube section to an element such as a tank or the like.

The, invention is therefore particularly adapted for use ingasolene feeds from tanks to internal combustion engines and in lubricating systems therefor as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The invention has for its object to provide a \solderless coupling for tubing and the like which embodies extreme simplicity, strength and rigidity and which comprisesno tapered compression collar or other packing or coupling element independent of and separate from the primary coupling-members.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient coupling for tubes and the like which will efi'ectually couple or connect tube sections without threading or soldering the same and which ent in order to effect a gas-tight union be;- tween the coupled tube sections or between a tube section and another element.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coupling of the character indicated in which a more effective union between the tube and the coupling members is obtained than is usual with this class of devices in such manner that an absolutely gas tight connection is quickly and readily accomplished and efiectively maintained, and which when in'coupling position is locked or jammed and therefore less liable to become loose under strains, shocks or from vibration.

requires no packing ring or other expedie A further object of the invention is to provide a coupling of the character indicated in which a ground union is eiiected between the coupling members to better produce a gas-tight juncture, and in which a ground union is effected between the coupling and the tube.

With these and other obvious objects in View the invention consists in the novel con struction of the coupling members and partieularly in the tapered construction of the rotatable male coupling member which coacts with the relatively non-rotating female member in such manner that the taper on the said male-member becomes distorted and tightly encompasses or embraces the coupled element or compresses and contracts the same to such an extent that the said distorted taper is forced beyond the regular surface of tube or coupled element, thus forming an annular depression or groove in the said tube or coupled element to efi'ect the coupling action.

The invention further consists in the construction which provides for rotating the tapered portion of the male coupling member relatively to the female coupling member and for engaging the same in such mannor that a ground union is effected between the said tapered portion and the said female coupling member; and the invention also consists in the construction which provides for rotating the tapered portion of the .male coupling member relatively. to the tube or other coupled element and for engaging the same in such manner that a ground union is effected between the said tapered portion and the tube or other coupled element.

The invention further consists in certain other novel details of construction and in certain combinations of parts, all of which will be first fully described and afterward specificallyfpointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a coupling constructed in accordance with this invention for coupling together two tube sections or the like and illustrating the tube sections in coupled position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View through a coupling constructed in accordance with this invention for coupling a tube or the like to an element such as a tank or the like and illustrating a tube section coupled to a tank. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the coupling as illustrated in Fig. 1, and showing the coupling members in disconnected position, and Fig. 4 is a similar view of the coupling members which comprise the coupling illustrated in Fig. 2.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several figures in which: A indicates the coupling illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 and B indicates the coupling as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, it' being of course understood that these views illustrate different forms of the same coupling and not modifications, while it will also be .apparent to those skilled in the art that still other forms of the same coupling can be employed-.for different purposes, the subject matterlof' this invention as will be hereinafter described remaining the same in all instances.

As will appear from Figs. 1 and 3 the coupling A comprises three primary coupling members 1, 2 and 3, the double female member 1 being provided with. a central hexagonal portion 4 to receive a wrench, while the extremities 5 and 6 a'ae preferably round and smooth and reduced for the sake of economy in material. Each end of the member 1 is internally threaded at 7, the threads terminating at 8 at which point an annular shoulder 9 is provided. The bore 10 in each portion of the member 1 extends from the shoulder 9 to the point 11 where a shoulder 12 occurs, the central bore or opening 13 betweenthe two annular shoulders 12 being substantially equal in area to the internal area of tube or pipes upon which the coupling is applied in such manner as not to reduce the pipe or tube capacity by reason of the application of the coupling thereto.

. The two male primary members 2 and 3 of the coupling are identical in form and are provided on their outer extremities with a hexagonal portion 14 to receive wrenches and are each provided centrally with a smooth bore 15 equal in diameter to the external diameter of thetube or pipe to be coupled in such manner that a close but slidable fit is effected between the coupling members 2 and 3 and the tube or pipe'to be coupled as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The central external portion of the coupling members 2 and 3 are threaded at 16 to agree with the threaded portions 7 of the primary "coupling member 1, and the inner extremities of each of the coupling members 2 and 3 are provided with a long gradual taper 17 "which taper is carried to a feather edge 18, which feather edge of the taper enters withinthe' rounded corner 19 of the shoulder 9, the bore 10 within the coupling member 1 being slightly larger in diameter than the pipe or tube to be connected as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and '4, which illustrate the type of this coupling employed for connecting a tube or the like to an element such as a tank or the like, it will be seen that only two coupling members are employed, the female coupling member being indicated by the letter C andthe male coupling member being indicated by the numeral 3, this coupling member 3 being identical with the coupling members 2 and 3 just described with reference to Figs. 1 and 3. It will therefore be unnecessary for a proper understanding of this construction to again describe the coupling member 3, and the only variation in the construction of the coupling member C from that shown in Fig. 1 is that one end of the said member C is externally threaded with preferably a, standard pipe thread 20 to enter a threaded element such as a tank or the like in order to effect a tight connection between the coupling and the said tank or other element as is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 1, the wall. of a tank being shown in Figs. 2 and 1 and indicated by the numeral 21.

In Fig. 1 the two tube sections 22 and 23 are illustrated in a coupled position, while in Fig. 2 a single tube section is illustrated as coupled to a tank or the like. In the operation of this coupling, both tubes to be coupled are placed in position within the coupling member 1 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The coupling members 2 and 3 are passed over the pipe sections into position shown in Figs. 3 and 1 and are threaded into the coupling member 1 untilv they assume the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The extreme edge of the tapered portions 17 of the coupling members '2 and 3 entering within the rounded shoulders 9 of the coupling member 1 further rotation of the coupling members 2 and 3 forces the said tapered portions 17 within the bores 10 of the coupling member 1. As the annular shoulders 9 are rigid and cannot give to the progression of the tapered portions 17 of the coupling members 2 and 3 the said tapered portions of the said coupling members must necessarily be forced out of their normal form and distorted asshown in Figs. 1 and 2. This distortion of the tapered portions 17 causes the same to tightly embrace and compress the outer surface of the tube sec tions or other coupled elements and if necessary to such an extent that the said tapered portions will pass beyond the regular periphery of the tube sections or other coupled element forming an annular groove in said tube sections or the like as clearly shown in Figsl and 2. The coupling member 1 being stationary relative to the coupling members 2 and 3 and the tapered portions 17 of said coupling members 2 and 3 rotating against the rounded shoulders 9 of the coupling member 1 a smooth'ground bearing or union is effected between the said tapered portions 17 and the rounded shoulders 9 in such manner that an absolutely gas-tight union is effected at this point, while at the same time the tapered portions 17 of the coupling members 2 and 3 rotate relatively to'the tube sections or the like to be coupled, and as 'theisaid tapered portions are forced into engagement with the said tube sections or the like, and as the said tapered portions enter the said tube sections or the like, a smooth ground union is effected between the said tapered portions and the said tube sections which is occasioned by reason of the rotation of the tapered portions on the outer surface or periphery of the tubes to be coupled together. By reason of this construction an absolutely gas-tight union is efl'ected between the tapered portions and the outer surface or periphery of the tubes or the like to such an extent that after the device is in coupled position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a rotation of the tube or tubes will not cause a leakage in the coupling which on the other hand would be liable to occur were it not for the fact that practically a groundconnection is efiected between the tapers and the tubes.

lt will further be seen that inasmuch as the tapers are integral with the coupling members 2 and 3 the tubes become extremely rigid when in a coupled position, and by reason of the long bore 15 in the coupling members 2 and 3 the tube sections or other coupled members are provided with a long rigid bearing which precludes the possibility of an accidental loosening of the parts. It will further benoted that as the tapers 17, engage the rounded shoulders 9 and as the tapers are distorted by the said rounded shoulders a jamming action is effected which jams or locks the coupling members together to such an extent that it is diflicult to cause an accidental loosening of the parts bv shock or by vibration.

Having thus fully described the invention what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a readily detachable coupling, a relaexternally threaded portion of said rotatable male member being adapted to enter the said female member, the said readily distortable end portion being adapted when the male and female members are threaded together to engage said second shoulder within said female member in such a manner as to distort the said readily distortable end portion of said rotatable male member and to force said distortable end portion into intimate contact with the element therein to be couled. p 2. In a readily detachable coupling, a relatively stationary female member centrally bored to receive an element to be coupled and provided with a shoulder therein to limit the entrance of said element to be coupled, a second shoulder within the said female member and an internally threaded portion therein, a rotatable male member centrally bored to receive the element to be coupled and comprising an externally threaded portion and a readily distortable end portion, the said externally threaded portion of said rotatable male member being adapted to enter the said female member, the said readily distortable end portion being adapted to engage said second shoulder within said female member when the said two members are threaded together and to rotate thereon to grind a gas tight joint therebetween and to simultaneously distort the said readily distortable end portion to force said distortableend portion into intimate contact with the element therein to be coupled, the said distortable end portion being rotatable on the element to be coupled to grind a gas tight union therebetween.

In testimony whereof ll. aflix my signature, in presence of witnesses.

CHARLES HUGH DUFFY. Witnesses:

C. MAE GOULD, F. A. MILLIGAN. 

